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U.S. Citizen Arrested in Oregon for Plot to Attack ICE Officials as Tensions Rise Over Immigration Enforcement
The Department of Homeland Security has launched an investigation after an 18-year-old U.S. citizen was arrested in Oregon with plans to kill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, amid growing political tensions over immigration enforcement.
Rayden Coleman was apprehended last week during a traffic stop by St. Helens Police Department north of Portland. According to police reports, he was found in possession of knives and materials used to manufacture Molotov cocktails. Authorities discovered a manifesto outlining his plan to attack a Portland ICE office using incendiary devices and firearms.
Investigators report that Coleman admitted to planning the assault and intended to purchase an AR-15 rifle the following day from a licensed dealer to carry out the attack. He also allegedly confessed to making statements about beheading ICE agents.
“Every day there are more assaults, more vehicle-ramming attacks, more attempts to kill our officers,” said Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in an exclusive statement. “Now, we have an American citizen planning to kill ICE officers with Molotov cocktails and gun them down. It’s disturbing.”
The arrest comes during a period of heightened rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement. Just a day before the DHS statement, several House Democrats drew controversy during a congressional hearing with acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, where they compared ICE agents to Nazis and the Gestapo. The heated hearing focused on the deaths of two anti-ICE activists, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed during protests against federal immigration authorities.
McLaughlin connected inflammatory rhetoric to the apparent targeting of ICE personnel: “Sanctuary politicians comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police and slave patrols have real-world consequences. The men and women of ICE and CBP are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters.”
According to DHS statistics, ICE officers have faced a staggering 1,300% increase in assaults against them and an 8,000% increase in death threats. This surge in hostility comes as immigration enforcement remains one of the most divisive issues in American politics.
Coleman is currently being held in Columbia County jail on six counts of manufacturing a destructive device and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. His bail has been set at $400,000.
The investigation is ongoing, with ICE Homeland Security Investigations collaborating with local authorities to determine the full extent of Coleman’s plans and any potential connections to broader threats against federal officials.
The arrest has heightened tensions in Washington, where Congress faces a Friday midnight deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have reportedly threatened a partial government shutdown if their demands for ICE reforms are not addressed in the funding legislation.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem criticized this approach in a recent interview: “This feels like a direct attack on the security of our country, our homeland. And it’s almost as though they’ve gotten so extreme, they don’t care if we’re out there on the front lines keeping our country safe.”
The Portland area has been a flashpoint for immigration protests in recent years, with frequent demonstrations outside ICE facilities. Federal agents have repeatedly clashed with protesters, using crowd control measures including tear gas and pepper balls during confrontations.
As the debate over immigration policy continues to intensify, law enforcement officials express growing concern about the safety of federal agents tasked with enforcing immigration laws amid increasingly hostile rhetoric from both sides of the political spectrum.
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5 Comments
This alleged attack plan is deeply worrying. Regardless of one’s stance on immigration, targeting law enforcement officials is never the right approach. I hope the authorities can get to the bottom of this and find ways to address these issues peacefully.
Allegations of a plot to kill ICE agents are extremely concerning. Even in the face of strong political disagreements, resorting to violence is unacceptable. I hope the authorities can investigate this thoroughly and find ways to deescalate tensions constructively.
I’m glad the authorities were able to intervene and prevent this alleged attack. Regardless of one’s views on immigration, targeting law enforcement is unacceptable. We need to find ways to have civil, productive dialogues on these complex issues.
Disturbing to see this alleged plot to attack ICE officials. While tensions over immigration are high, violence and extremism are never the answer. I hope authorities can get to the bottom of this and address the underlying issues constructively.
This is a troubling development. While I understand the frustrations around immigration enforcement, planning violent attacks is never justified. I hope we can move towards more thoughtful, nuanced discussions to address these challenges responsibly.